Glass-cutting machine



July 1, 1952 u G. HENRY ETAI. 2,601,725

GLAsswcUTTING MACHINE Filed Deo. 20, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet l July 1, 1952G. HENRY ET AL 2,601,725

GLASS-CUTTING MACHINE Filed Deo. 20, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 /M/NTOKSGEORGS HENRY, MARC DELACUVELLERIE pmp BRICHARP 3) tgv.

AG E NTS July 1, 1952 G. HENRY ETAL 2,601,725

GLASS-CUTTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 20, 1945 4 Slfxeets--Sheecl I5 GEORGESHaNRy, mRc prima. UVELLER; E

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AGENTS July 1, 1952 G. HENRY ET Al. 25019725 GLASS-CUTTING MACHINE FiledDec. 20, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 /NVENToR-s GEORGES HENRy, MARCPLAaUVELLERIEf EpQARy BKlcHA AGENTS Patented July l, 1951?IGLASS-CUTTING MACHINE Georges Henry, Dampremy, Edgard Brchard,

Jumet, and Marc Delacuvellerie, Loverval, Belgium, assignors to Uniondes Verreries Mecaniques Belges, Societe Anonyme, Charleroi, Belgium, aBelgian company Application December 20, 1945, Serial No. 636,104 InBelgium March 2, 1945 11 Claims.

This invention relates to cutting glass sheets by drawing two series ofcutting lines, which lines are usually at right angles to obtainrectangular panes, but may also be at any other angle.

In existing machines adapted to cut glass by drawing two series ofparallel cutting lines at right angles to each other, it is necessary tointerrupt the drawing of said lines in order to perform variousoperations such as positioning, transporting and removing the glasssheets and also enabling the cutting tools to perform their returnstroke. These repeated interruptions give rise to considerable loss oftime and to a substantial reduction in the output of the machine.

The object of the present invention is to obviate these inconveniencesand to carry out the operations as a cycle in which the cutting linesare drawn in succession Without interruption. To this end, according toour invention a series of parallel lines are drawn by a set oftravelling tools while the glass sheet is stationary, and the otherseries of parallel lines are drawn by a set of stationary tools Whilethe sheet moves towards or away from its stationary position, andsimultaneously the travelling tools are caused to perform their returnstroke. A fresh sheet being brought forward after each sheet has beencut, the position after one cycle of operations is such that a newidentical cycle can be started without any interruption taking place indrawing the cutting lines.

A further object of this invention is to provide a machine for carryingout the above process, such machine having two sets of tools, one beingmovable relatively to the machine frame, the other being stationary andplaced in front of or behind the path covered by the movable orso calledtravelling tools, so that the sheet subjected to the action of thetravelling tools be cut by the stationary tools either when it movestowards the requisite position under the travelling tools, or away fromsuch position. The machine also comprises various auxiliary mechanisms,in particular means for transporting the glass sheet,

. for operating the travelling tools and the stationary tools, foradjusting the position of the sheet relatively to the tools and foradjusting the position of one set of tools relatively to the other.

The features of the invention will be described in detail with referenceto the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, anembodiment of the new machine in which the glass sheet is successivelysubjected to the action of the travelling tools and of the stationarytools.

In thedrawngs: Fig. l is a general View of the machine in sideelevation,

Figs. 2 and 3 show a plan view and a front elevation respectively of thesame machine;

Figs. 4 to l2 illustrate on a larger scale constructional details of themachine,

5 Fig. 4 showing a detail of the transporter guiding means, i

Fig. 5 being a view of the carriage carrying the travelling tools,

Figs. 6 and 7 being vertical sectional views of 10 the means foroperating the travelling tools,

taken on lines VI-VI and VII-VII respectively of Fig. 8.

Fig. 8 being a plan view corresponding to Figs. 6 and '7,

Figs. 9 and 10 being enlarged sectional views of the means for operatingthe stationary tools, taken on lines IX-IX and X--X respectively of Fig.2,

Figs. 1l and 12 being a front elevation and a side elevationrespectively of a stop for adjusting the position of the glass sheet.

Fig. 13 is a diagram of electrical connections for the operating means.

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a ramp provided forraising the travelling tools at the end of the cutting operationthereof.

The machine illustrated comprises essentially three main parts, to wit,a conveyor, a travelling carriage adapted to move above one portion ofthe conveyor transversely thereof, and a set of tools mounted in xedposition above the other portion of the conveyor so as to cut the glasssheet moving along said portion.

The conveyor comprises an endless carrier I formed of straightcross-boards or slats secured being carried by cross bars 5 which inturn rest on the machine frame 6 (Fig. l)

The endless chains 6 mesh with gears l rotated by a motor 8 through areducing gear and a clutch (not shown). The motor 8 may also operate insynchronism auxiliary conveyors arranged in front of or behind theconveyor In Figs. l and 2 we have shown at 9 a conveyor arranged infront of conveyor I and operated from the latter through the chain I0.

Secured above the front portion of conveyor I are cross bars II carryingrails I2 on which runs a carriage I3 provided with bearings It in whichis journalled an oscillating shaft I 5 carrying cutting tools I6 (Fig.5).

The carriage I3 has wheels Il' with horizontal axes and it is guidedalong the rails I2 by rollers I8 with vertical axes, which arespring-pressed against the sides of the rails I2. On the carriage I3 ismounted a motor I9 which, through the intermediary of a reducing gear 23(Fig. 2), rotates a shaft 2l carrying pinions 22 (Fig. 5). These pinionsmesh with a chain 23 which extends between brackets 24 on the machineframe and passes on tensioning pinions 25 so that rotation of the shaft2l in one or the other direction causes the carriage I3 to move forwardor backward on the rails I2 along Va strictly rectilinear Y Y pathacross the conveyor I. A

The movement of the carriage I3 is controlled by operating Ya handswitch 25 (Figs. 2, 3 and 13) which starts the motor I9 and isthereafter substituted through the action of a relay (not shown) by aswitch 21 operated at the end of the return stroke. At the end of itsoperative stroke the carriage strikes against the change-over switch 28which causes thermotor I3 to start again in reverse directionVand'causes the carriage to rcturn to its( starting point. At the momentof reaching same the carriage operatesA the switch 21 and thus bringsabout its own stoppage.

On the other hand, at the end of its operative stroke the carriage I3which carries an abutment 29 causes the same to operate a switch 30which through the intermediary of a relay (Fig. 13) sends current to themotor 3 and starts themovement of the conveyors I and 9. Thus, feedingof the glass sheet takes place during the return stroke of the carriageI3.

For the sake of clearness, the carriage I3 as illustrated in Fig. 2 issupposed to have been pushed beyond the .end of Vits stroke, it will beunderstood that the switches 21, 23 are adjustable in position along therails II according to the width of the sheets to be cut.

The throwing into and throwing out of operation of the cutting toolsI5are conveniently controlled by the mechanism illustrated in Figs. 6 to8. In this mechanism each tool I6 is carried by an arm 3I rigid with ahub 32 loosely mounted on shaft I5. The arm 3J is adapted to be liftedby a yoke 33 carried by collars 34 secured to the shaft I5.

Another collar 35 also secured to the shaft I5 carries a nger 36 which,at the end of the operative stroke of carriage I3, engages a ramp 423(Fig. 14) whereby it is lifted, causing the shaft I5 to oscillate and toswing upwardly the yoke 33 and therewith the arm 3l and the tools I5,the position then being as shown in dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 6 and infull lines in Fig. 7.

At that moment a projection 31 on the collar 35 is engaged by a latch 38pivoted at 39 to the side wall of carriage I3 and pressed by a spring 4Iagainst the periphery of collar 35. The tool carrying arm 3l thus ismaintained in raised position during the entire inoperative or returnstroke of the carriage I3. At the end of that stroke the finger 36engages a ramp 42 and causes the shaft I5 to turn and move theprojection 31 away from the latch 38 while the tail piece 43 of thelatch strikes against a spring stop 44, whereby the latch is lifted anddisengaged from the pro-V j ection 31.

The movement of the carriage I3 then being reversed the finger 35 ridesdown the ramp 42, the tools I6 are graduallyv lowered onto the glass anda new operative stroke begins. The latch 38 drops on the collar 35beyond the projection 31 and is ready to catch same as soon as the toolsI6 are again lifted.

As above stated, the motor 8 operating the conveyors I and 9 is startedby the closing of Crt switch 30 at the end of the operative stroke ofthe travelling tools IB. The glass sheet thus is fed from the frontportionof conveyorvl situated under the rails I2 to the rear portionwhich is situated beyond said rails, the stationary tools 45 beinglocated at the entrance to said rear portion.

The tools 45 are carried by arms 46 loosely mounted on a shaft 41 whichextends across and .above the conveyor I and is adapted to oscillate inVbearings 48 carried by side plates 49 adjustably securedto the frame 5of the machine. The operation of the tools 45 is controlled electricallyby means of a switch 50 which is operated by the edges ofthe glass sheetin the following manner.

Normally the tools 45 are held in the raised position by anelectro-magnet 5I whose armature is mounted at the end of `,an arrn52secured to the Shaft 41 01,1 which are alseseeured relies, 53 forlifting the tool carrier armsr46'. Whenthe conveyor I brings the leadingedge of a sheet under'the tools 45, this edge engagcsWthe switch 50(Figs. 10 and 13) which Opens. de-eneresesthe electro-,magnet 5Iandallows thetoelsd :to drap onto the glass by the action of gravity. 1norder to avoid premature dropping' of the tools ,and4 shocks liable toinjure same, their downward movement is slowed downbyacam 54 Aofdecreasing radius (Fig. 9) which is pivoted onaniarnfrV secured to theshaft 41. When vthe .tools 45 are raised,l the cam 54glideswithoutpressinglon,the surface of the glass or, asl shown,on-theperiphery of a pulley 56 or other surface movedain synchronismwith Vthe glass. Aspsoon as theshaft 41 is freed by the electro-magnetI,the weight of the partsycarried thereby reststhrough 'the cam 5.4 on thepulley 5.6; the cam .thenrevolves on the .pulley and thetools.aregradually'brought down until they bear `on the glass.

The @am 54 thus. Servesa twefeld, purpose: it. slows down the drop ofthe tools .SQ @5.709. avoid a violent contact with thed glass ar1:litretards the moment when they touch theglass untlthe edge of theglasssheet'has; moved to, the desired position with respect to thestartingpointof; the cutting line.

When the trailing edgeoffthe. glass` sheet .passes under the switch 50,the latter is closed .by the action of a spring, the electro-magnet` 5:1vdraws its armature and lifts the1 tools.before` they are reached by thetrailing edge. In its lifting-'movement, the armature of electro-magnet5I ternporarily closes a contact 51- (Fig s,2and 1,3) which acts onrelay 4I) to cut` the current-,in thegconveyor motorv 8. When theconveyor stops,vvth e glass sheet has been scratched in twoperpendicular directions and is readyto Ibe removed from the machine.

The cycle 0f operetienswhieh.thushasbeen.

angles to the direction of movement of the conveyor;

(3) A sheet c is placed on the auxiliary conveyor 9 in front of the mainconveyor I.

The second stage, during which the conveyors are in operation, isautomatically controlled .by the operation of the change-over switch 28and of the switch 30. It comprises the following simultaneousoperations:

(4) The conveyor I is set into motion; it carries the sheet b under thestationary tools 45 which are brought down and draw the second series ofcutting lines in a direction parallel to the movement of the conveyor,while the sheet moves away from. the working zone of the machine;

(5) The carriage I3 with the travelling lcools I6 thereon moves back toits starting point, the tools I6 being lifted;

(6) The sheet c is carried by the conveyor 9 onto the conveyor IY andcomes to a stop under the carriage I3, while at the same time thestationary tools 45 are lifted.

The cycle then is completed: the machine is in the same position as itwas when starting: a sheet has been scratched and removed and a freshsheet has taken its place and is in working position.

The distance d between tw-o successive sheets on the conveyor isdetermined by the distance between the leading edge of the sheetpositioned under the carriage I3 and the stationary tools 45. As thisdistance corresponds to a space on the conveyor which is not utilised,it is of course desirable that said distance be as small as possible inorder to increase the output of the machine. It cannot be reduced tozero, but it is possible to reach the same result, as regards theoutput, by making said distance d equal to the length of a glass sheet,or to a multiple of such length. It is then possible to place in thefree interval one or more additional sheets on the conveyor so that thesheets thereon follow each other without any substantial interval, andthe movement of the conveyor, during one cycle, is reduced to the lengthof one sheet.

This condition can be easily fulfilled by adjusting the position of thesaid plates 49 on the machine frame 6, according to the length of thesheets to be cut, provided of course such length remains uniform. Theoperations are carried `out as described above with this diierence only,

that two different sheets are successively scratched, one lengthwise,the other crosswise, but as before, a sheet scratched in both directionsis delivered by the machine at the end of each cycle.

It is of importance that the position of each sheet be correctlydetermined in the transverse as well as in the longitudinal direction.

In order to determine the position of the sheet in the transversedirection, so that the Width of the uncut side edges be uniform, We usean adjustable abutment 58 (Fig. 2) mounted for example in a guide 5B atright angles to the conveyor 9 and actuated through rod and crank 60, 6Iby a motor 62 when the switch 5U energises the electro-magnet 5Icontrolling the lifting of the tools 45. The positioning of the sheetthus takes place while the conveyors I and 9 are stationary.

`The longitudinal position of the sheet under the travelling carriage I3is controlled by a stop 63 (Figs. 1, 11 and 12) which is pivoted at 64to the machine frame and is pressed against the conveyor I by a spring65 so that it catches the leading edge of the sheet fed under thecarriage I3. Before the conveyor is set in motion, the stop 65 isautomatically raised by a cam 65 secured to and extending under thecarriage I3. When the carriage I3 reaches the end of its operativestroke and theconveyor is started, the cam 66 engages under a nose 6lrigid with the stop 65 and lifts said stop for the time necessary toenable the leading edge of the sheet to pass thereunder. It moves downduring the return stroke of the travelling carriage and is again in itsposition of engagement when the next sheet arrives.

It is understood that modications may be made in the machine describedwithout departing from the scope of the invention. Thus the sequence ofthe two process stages forming a cycle may be inverted without changingthe result or the total duration of these operations. It is onlynecessary to that end to place the stationary set of tools 45 in frontof the travelling carriage and to change accordingly the electricconnections.

The means for operating the stationary and the travelling tools mayValso be substituted by equivalent means, for example with pneumaticinstead of electric control.

It should also be understood that the machine may be arranged forcutting the glass in two directions at any angle to each other, or evenin parallel directions, one set of cutters then drawing lines inalternating relation to those drawn by the cutters of the other set.A

We claim:

1. In a machine for cutting glass the. combination of a machine frame,an endless conveyor on said frame, said conveyor being of suicientlength to carry at least two sheets of glass in alignment, a carriagetravelling above and across a part f said conveyor, a set of cuttingtools on said carriage, a stationary shaft on said machine frameextending over and across said conveyor, a set of cutting tools on saidshaft, means for intermittently moving said conveyor', means for causingthe tools on said travelling carriage to operate on a glass sheet whilesaid sheet is stationary, means for causing the tools on said stationaryshaft to operate on a glass sheet while said sheet is moving thereunder,reciprocating means for determining the position of the glass sheets onsaid conveyor transversely thereof, and means actuated by said carriagefor determining said position in the longitudinal direction.

2. In a machine for cutting glass the combination of a machine frame, anendless conveyor on said frame, said conveyor being of sucient length tocarry at least two Vsheets, of glass in alignment, a carriage travellingabove and across a part of saidconveyor, a set of cutting tools on saidcarriage, a stationary shafton said machine frame extending over andacross said conveyor, a set of cutting tools on said shaft, means forintermittently moving said conveyor, means for causing the tools on saidtravelling carriage to operate on a glass sheet while said sheet isstationary, means for causing the tools on said stationary shaft tooperate on a glass sheet while the sheet is moving thereunder, a lateralabutment for determining the position of a glass sheet on thev conveyortransversely thereof, and means for imparting to said abutment areciprocating movement laterally towards and away from said conveyor. Yl l 3. Ina machine for cutting glass the com-bina- Von said frame, saidconveyor heine of suneient length to carry at least two sheets of' glassalignment, a carriage travelling above and across a part oli' saidconveyor, a set of-.cutting tools on said carriage, a stationaryshafltron said machine frame extending over and across` Said: QQIWy-OIT,a set of cutting tools on said shaft, means for intermittently movingsaid conveyor, means for causing the tools on said travelling carriageto operate on a glass sheet while said sheet isl stationary, means forcausing the tools on said stationary shaft to .operate on a glass sheetwhile the sheet is moving thereunder, a stop for de termining thecorrectposition of a glass, sheet on the conveyor longitudinallythereof, said stopl being normally held in the path of the glass sheets,and means operative when the conveyor starts moving to move said stopout of the path-,or the glass sheets.

4. In a machine for cutting glass thecombination of a'machine frame, anendless conveyor on said'frame, said conveyor being of suincient lengthto carry at least two sheetsA of glass` in alignment, a carriagetravelling above and across a part of said conveyor, a set of cuttingtools on said carriage, a stationary shaft on said machine frameextending over and across said conveyor, a set of cutting tools on saidshaft, means 'for intermittently moving said conveyor, means forcausingthe tools on said travelling carriage to operate on a glass sheetwhile said sheet is stationary, means for causing the tools on saidstationary shaft to operate on a glass sheet While the sheet is movingthereunder, a stop` for determining the correct position` of a glasssheetY on the conveyor longitudinally thereof, a spring normally holdingsaid stop in the path of the glass sheets, and means on said travellingcarriage for -moving said stop outI of the path of the glass sheets whensaid tools on the carriage reach the end of their operation on a glasssheet.

5. In a machine for cutting glass the combination of a machine frame, anendless conveyor on said frame, a carriage mounted for travel above andacross said conveyor, a set of cuttingA tools on said carriage, a shafton said machine frame extending over and across said conveyor, a set ofcutting tools on said shaft, means for alternately and interdependentlyeffecting the advance movement of said carriage across said conveyorwhile the latter is maintained at rest and then effecting the returnmovement of said carriage while said conveyor is advanced, means forraising said tools on the carriage from a glass sheet on said conveyorat the end of said advance movement of said carriage, means for lockingsaid tools on the `carriage in their raised positions at the end of saidadvance movement of the carriage, means operative during the end portionof said return movement of theY carriage for conditioning said lockingmeans for release thereof,` means releasing said locking means atthe'end of said return movement of said carriage and while saidconditioning means are op;-l erative, said conditioning means beingfurther Operative at the beginning of. the. advance nievement of saidcarriage Afor gradually lowering the released tools on said carriageonto a glass sheet on said conveyor, means for raising the tools on saidShaft away from a glass Sheet on the cenvevor and for releasing saidtools on the, Shaft for gravitational movement .onto the glass, sheet,means responsive to the passage of the leading and trailing edges ofSuccessive glass sheets on 8. said conveyor for controlling sai-draising and re.- leasing means of the tools on said shaft,y and meansoperative when said tools on the shaft are released from their raisedposition for gradually lowering the last mentioned tools onto a glasssheet on the moving conveyor.

6, In a machine for cutting glass the combination of a machine frame, anendlessv conveyor on said frame, a carriage mounted for reciprocatingtravelv above and across said conveyor, a first set of cutting tools onsaid carriage, a stationary shaft on said machine frame extending overand across said conveyor, a second Set of cutting tools on said shait,means operative to alternately and interdependently effect themovementsv of said carriage and said conveyor so that said carriage isadvanced over said conveyorv while the latter is at rest and then thecarriage is returned While the conveyor is simultaneously advanced,means operative to raise said rst tools from a glass sheet onV theconveyor during the end portion of thel advance movement of saidcarriage, locking means operative at the end of the advance movement ofthe carriage to lock said rst tools in their raised positions, meanslindependent-of said raising means operative to effect further raising ofsaid rst tools during the end portion of the return movement of saidcarriage for condition-Y ing said locking means for release thereof,vmeans operative to release said locking means at the end. of said returnmovement of thenarriage, said means effecting further raising of saidfirst tools during the end portion of said return movement also beingoperative to gradually lower the re-` leased tools onto a glass sheet onsaid conveyor during theV initial portion ofthe advance move.- ment ofsaid carriage, means for raising said second tools away from aglasssheet on said conveyor andA for releasing said second tools forgravitational movement onto. a-glass sheet on the conveyor, meansresponsive to the passage ofthe leading and trailing edges of successiveglass sheets on said conveyor and controlling said rais- 4ing`andreleasing means, and means intercepting Ithe gravitational movementofthe. released second ytools and operative to gradually lower saidreleased second tools onto a glass sheet on the moving conveyor. i

7. In a machine for cutting glass, the combination according to claim 5,wherein said tools on the shaft are rockably mounted on the latter; andwherein said means for raising and releasing said tools on the shaftincludes av yokek rockable on said shaft and engageable below said toolson the latter, an electro-magnet mounted` on said; frame and, whenenergized, actingon said yoke to swing the latter in the directionraising-said tools Y engaged by said yoke, and said means responsive tothe passage of the leading and trailing edges of the glass sheetsincludes a normally closed switch, an elect-ric circuit having saidswitch interposed thereinV for normally energizing said electro-magnet,and a switch actuatorextending into the path of glass sheets on saidconveyor and operatively associated with said switch to open the latterupon contact with the leading edge .of a glass sheet and to maintainsaid switch in its open condition until the, trailing edge of the glasslsheet has passed from under said switch actuator.

8. In a machine for cutting glass, the combination according to claim 5further including, means arranged at a side of said conveyor operativeto transversely position the successive. glass sheets onvthe latter, andmeans arranged above said conveyor operative to determine. thelongitudinal position of successive glass sheets on the conveyor.

9. In a machine for cutting glass, the combination as serl forth inclaim 5; wherein said conveyor includes sprockets rotatably carried bysaid frame, laterally spaced endless chains `meshing with said sprocketsand trained therearound, slats extending between said chains and securedthereto, longitudinal guides on said frame, and grooved bearing plateson said slats slldably engaging said guides.

10. In a machine for cutting glass, the combination as set forth inclaim 5; including adjustable means mounting said shaft on said machineframe for adjustment toward and away from the path of travel of saidcarriage by distances which are substantially equal to multiples of thelengths of the glass sheets on said conveyor.

ll. In a machine for cutting glass, the combination as set forth inclaim 5; wherein said means for alternately and interdependentlyeffecting the advance and return movement of said carriage and theadvance of said conveyor includes means for automatically reversing thedirection of movement of said carriage at the end of said advancemovement thereof, means operative to start the movement of saidconveyor, an abutment moving with said carriage, and means actuated bysaid abutment to render said starting means operative when said carriagereaches the end of the advance movement thereof.

GEORGES HENRY. EDGARD BRICHARD. MARC DELACUVEIJJERIE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile ofthis patent:

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